1. Field of the Invention
In shuttleless looms which utilize weft yarn that is furnished from an outside source and is not carried to and fro through the shed by the shuttle or carrier itself, it is common practice to insert each pick of weft by two reciprocating elements. That element which introduces the weft into the warp shed is known as the inserting carrier and that which receives or has transferred to it the introduced weft to be drawn through the remainder of the shed is known as the weft receiving or extending carrier.
The shuttleless loom to which the instant invention is applicable is of the single pick insertion type wherein the weft yarn extends through an eyelet in the rear wall of the inserting carrier and remains threaded therethrough during the performance of said carrier's intended funtion. Additionally the shuttleless loom to which the instant invention is applicable utilized a selvage forming apparatus on the weft insertion side of the loom, of the type shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,280. This apparatus severs the weft at a predetermined distance outwardly from the shed and then tucks the cut end into a reopened shed for beat-up with the next inserted length of yarn. In particular the invention pertains to an improved device for positioning the weft for reception by the selvage forming apparatus and to locate it so that it will enter the gripping portion of the inserting carrier upon initial movement of said carrier to introduce the next pick.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The above mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,280 shows and describes the type of selvage forming apparatus with which the present invention is operatively associated. This patent pertains to the apparatus which was originally developed for shuttleless looms wherein weft yarn is inserted into separate sheds of warp threads in pairs of interconnected picks by means of reciprocating flexible yarn carrying elements. This manner of inserting weft yarn is commonly referred to as the hairpin system and the apparatus of this patent eliminated the so-called fringe on one edge of the fabric by turning the fringe ends inwardly to a position where they are beat-up into the fabric. With the conversion of this type of loom to so-called pick and pick weaving in which single picks are inserted into the separate sheds of warp threads, a fringe is also formed on the weft insertion side of the fabric.
TO ELIMINATE THE FRINGE ON THE WEFT INSERTION SIDE OF THE LOOM A SELVAGE FORMING APPARATUS LIKE THAT DISCLOSED IN THE ABOVE PATENT WAS DEVELOPED BY MAKING MANY OF ITS COMPONENTS IN A MANNER SO AS TO PERMIT THE APPARATUS TO PERFORM ITS FUNCTION ON THE OPPOSITE OR SAID WEFT INSERTION SIDE.
When application of the selvage forming apparatus was made on the weft insertion side of the loom, the apparatus's weft cutter could not be utilized, for the weft's association with the inserting carrier would not permit that portion of the weft extending from the shed to be properly located so as to be cut by said weft cutter. In order to cut and then tuck the severed weft on this side of the loom it was necessary to utilize a conventional thread cutter and waste selvage threads. The waste selvage threads served to locate the weft so as to be received and held by the apparatus's clamping device prior to being acted upon by the conventional thread cutter and selvage needle that tucks the cut end into the next shed opening.
The combination of the selvage forming apparatus, conventional thread cutter, and the waste selvage threads for positioning the weft all being mounted in the same general area on the weft insertion side of the loom created an overcrowding condition of the various elements of these mechanisms and the accessibility to anyone for adjustment or replacement purposes was very difficult. Both the selvage forming apparatus and the conventional thread cutter had separate drives operatively connected to the loom's weft control housing which required additional driving elements for these mechanisms.
This overcrowding or closeness of the various elements of these mechanisms was considered unsatisfactory because of the excessive amount of loom down time necessary for the replacement or change in adjustment of said mechanisms and elements thereof.
The weft control device comprising the invention has eliminated the problems described above by providing a means which permits utilization of the selvage forming apparatus's thread cutter and which eliminates the former need for the waste selvage threads and conventional thread cutter.